Aeroplane.



J. W. WAY.

ABEOPLANE. 7 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

WITNESSES! INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, D. c.

JOHN W. WAIY, or EDGEWOR'IH, PENNSYLVANIA.

. AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Jan. 16,1912.

Application filed November 15, 1909. Serial No. 528,200.

ber 15, 1909, Serial No. 528,199, I have shown and described a propeller wheel particularly adapted for service in aeroplanes, in which the blade or Vane of the propeller is transversely arched and provided on its concave surface with air-retarding projections. The invention which I am about to disclose and make the subject of this application is the employment of this same configuration to the sustaining wings or sails of an aeroplane.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. In them, Figure 1 is a fragmentary viewin perspective of two cooperating wings or sails of an aeroplane; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a single section. Each of these wings or sailsis composed of a number of sections or parts 2, which are arranged in succession from front to rear, meeting at their edges, and forming the wings or sails. The direction of progress is indicated by the arrow a. Each one of the several sections of these sustaining wings or sails is formed with such a contour as I I have, in my other application referred to.

above, described for the blades of a pro peller; that is to say, each of these sections is transversely curved, the convex side being the upper side, and the concave side the lower side; the form of curve is preferably spiral, and the arrangement such that the spiral increases in radius from the anterior to the posterior edge of each section. Furthermore, the forward edge of the leading section is rounded; at the point of meeting of adjacent sections there is a protruding rounded edge; and in the concave face of each section and adjacent to the anterior edge thereof are arranged one or more airretarding projections extending longitudinally of the section and protruding preferably in a rearward direction. These projections are preferably flexible, and are preferably vented for the passage of restricted quantities of air. If there be but one such projection in a section, it will preferably be arranged at the very edge, immediately rearward of the rounded portion 3 or 7 and, if therebe more projections than one, they are 1 preferably formed of increasing length from theforemost to the rearmost of the series within a single section.

The forward rounded edge of the leading section is indicated at3 in the drawing, the projections at 4, and the protruding rounded edge at the point ofmeeting of adjacent sections at 7. The vents through the projection' 4 are preferably in the form of perforations 5.

The entire wing or sail may if preferred consist of a single section such as I have described above. Such simple wing structure is illustrated in section in Fig. 2 of the drawings' In this case, while the major portion of the wing is rigid the posterior edge (and, in case a plurality of sections are employed, the posterior edge of the rearmost section) ;will preferably be made flexible.

My invention further resides in a certain collocation or relative arrangement of two cooperating wings or sails such as Ihave described and such as the drawing illustrates. It will be understood that as an aeroplane provided with wings of this particular shape advances in the direction indi cated by the arrow a, condensation and rarefaction of the air adjacent to the wing surfaces will occur; and it is my object to so arrange the two cooperating wings with respect to one another that such condensation and rarefaction will effect the least possiblevamount of resistance in the air to the progress of the vessel. It is manifest that, on the under surface of the wings, condensation will be greatest at or near the forward or anterior part-of each section, where the protuberances are located, while a corresponding tendency to rarefaction will occur toward the posterior edge of each section. Similarly, upon the upper surfacesof each wing, condensation will be greatest near the anterior edge of each section, and least at the posterior edge. Such being the general condition of things so far as concerns air pressure, I have found the best relative arrangement to consist in having the succeeding sections of the underlying or lower sail arranged slightly rearward of the corresponding sections of the upper wing or sail, tov the end that the spaces of greatest condensation of air between the two blades shall not lie directly opposite one another, but

shall be arranged in alternation, adjacent first to one wall and then adjacent to the other wall of the confined space. In such arrangement I have found there is the least resistance to the progress of the vessel. In the'drawing I have indicated in dotted lines in an approximate manner the spaces of condensation of air between the adjacent wings or sails, in this way illustrating more clearly the relative arrangement of these parts. It will of course be understood that I have found in this particular configuration of the wings or sails, a positive advantage over plain surfaces.

I claim herein as my invention:

1. A sustaining wing for an aeroplane, said wing being of curved contour and having the continuity of its concave surface interrupted at a point rearwardly of but adjacent to its anterior edge by a projection which extends outwardly from the said concave surface, said projection forming with the concave surface a constantly open pocket.

2. A sustaining wing or sail for an aeroplane of curved contour from front to rear, and provided upon its concave surface and adjacent to the anterior edge thereof with a vented air-retarding projection, substantially as described;

3. A sustaining wing or sail for an aeroplane of curved contour from front to rear, and provided upon its concave surface with a series of air-retarding projections, the length of the projections of the series in-' creasing from the foremost rearwardly, substantially as described.

' 4. A sustaining wing or sail for an aeroplane composed of a plurality of'segments arranged edge to edge and united along their adjoining edges, each of said segments being of curved contour in cross section, the

posterior edge of the rearmostsection being .flexible, substantially as described.

5. In an aeroplane, the combination of two arched supporting wings or sails arranged one above another and one in advance of the other in such relative positions that the condensation of air adjacent to the under surface of the upper wing due to the motion of the vessel shall be opposed to the rarefaction of air adjacent to the upper surface of the lower wing, substantially as described. I

6. In an aeroplane, the combination of two supporting wings or sails arranged one above the other, each of said wings or sails consisting of a plurality of arched segments and the said sails or wings being so arranged with respect to one another that those portions of the under surface of the upper wing whe'i'e condensation is greatest shall lie opposite to the portions of the upper surface of the lower sail where the pressure is the least, and the portions of the under surfaces of the upper sail where the density of the air is least shall stand opposed to the portions of the upper surface I of the lower wing where condensation is greatest, substantially as described.

7. A sustaining wing or sail for an aero-' plane, composed of a plurality of segments each of curved contour in cross section, convex above and concave below, said segments united edge to edge and arranged with their united edges transverse to the line of motion of said wing or sail, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN w. WAY.

Witnesses:

BAYARD H. CHRISTY, ALICE A. Tnmn.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

